A Foreign Service Spouse Photoblog

Work

I’ve completed my second day with the U.N. Development Program or, as they spell it, Programme. I’m working on two projects: the U.N. Global Compact, which is an effort to get businesses to promote positive change by adhering to 10 principles encompassing labor standards, human rights, environmental protection, and anti-corruption; and the Growing Sustainable Businesses Initiative, which seeks to promote small- and medium-sized enterprise growth as a tool for achieving pro-poor development and achieve the U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals. So far, I’ve traveled to Fier for a quality management seminar; had two long lunches; attended a leisurely meeting; read some background material; and written a memo. Eventually, I hope to help develop strategies that will improve market participation opportunities for small rural agricultural producers and manufacturers, but this is down the road.